When Help Comes Calling
by chawk1993
Summary: *ONE-SHOT* It's the Monday after Ben's Coronation and Audrey has a problem. She decides to go to Mal for help to show that there is no hostility between them.
**A/N:** _Hi my second Descendants one-shot. This was just a random idea that I came up with yesterday. This is set the Monday after Ben's coronation so it's post-movie. I wanted to do something where Audrey goes to Mal for help to show that she is actually trying to make an effort to be nice to her and her friends. I thought it would be nice as well to show that Audrey has a hidden talent for art. Why, I have no idea. Also, this was meant to be up yesterday but I was having trouble with my internet connection. This isn't edited so there's a few mistakes. I hope you all enjoy!_

* * *

 **When Help Comes Calling**

* * *

It was the Monday after Ben's coronation and Mal and Evie were enjoying their free period. They had homework from the Wednesday and Thursday before that hadn't been done. They had been busy trying to work out how to steal Fairy Godmother's wand that they had forgotten about it, well almost.

Mal sat with her back to the tree she and Evie were sitting under while Evil Queen's daughter herself, was laying on her stomach, reading through her Chemistry textbook. Mal had her sketchbook in her hands but she wasn't drawing anything.

" _Mal?"_

Mal snapped out of her daze and looked up. She looked up to seen none other then Sleeping Beauty's daughter, Audrey standing in front of her, looking rather nervous.

"Ah, hi, Audrey." Mal said nervously.

"I need your help on something," Audrey confessed. "It's kinda important."

Mal's eyes widened as she looked back at Evie. Evie apparently wasn't paying attention as she was too caught up in her homework. Looking back at Audrey, Mal nodded and shot to her feet. "E, I'm gonna to help Audrey. You okay here?" Evie waved her away, not saying anything, her mind still on her homework.

Audrey bit her lip as Mal motioned from for them to move away from Evie.

Once they were far enough away, Mal stopped walked. "What's up?"

"I need your help with an art project." Audrey said a little too quickly.

Mal's eyebrows shot up her forehead. "You do art?" she said in a disbelieving tone.

Audrey nodded sheepishly. "I'm not in your class though. I'm in the second class. Not very many people know I'm even there."

Mal thought this was strange. Since when would people not notice Aurora and Philip's prized daughter? "Why wouldn't anyone notice you? I mean, you're one of the most popular girls here at Auradon Prep. Plus, you're captain of the cheerleading squad."

Audrey gave her what appeared to be an insecure look. "I've never really told anyone this but I thought, seeing as you're only person I know that is arty with, you know, paint, I thought I'd ask you for help."

Mal didn't know what to say. This was certainly out of the blue and talk about weird. Of the first people she had met in Auradon, Audrey was the one who she knew straight off was going to give her grief. But now, she wasn't so sure. Sure, Audrey hadn't liked her because her mother had cursed Aurora all because Queen Leah and King Stefan hadn't invited Maleficent to Aurora's christening. What did that have to do Audrey and Mal? Absolutely nothing!

Audrey and Mal weren't even born then so it had nothing to do with them.

"Show me what you have and I'll see what I can do to help." Mal said at last.

Audrey looked around and held up her art book to Mal. "Not here. I don't want anyone to see it." She then turned on her heel and headed for the school.

Mal had to jog to keep up with her. She had seen Evie move in heels but Audrey moved faster.

* * *

Mal was exhausted by the time she caught up with Audrey. The princess didn't seem winded at all. Damn it heels! She looked over and found that they were standing

"What took you so long?" Audrey asked once Mal had caught up with her.

"I've never seen any one run so fast in heels before." Mal wheezed.

"Evie runs in heels all the time." Audrey frowned.

"I can keep up with _her._ I never thought you could move in those." Mal pointed to Audrey's favourite white heels.

Audrey shrugged. "I've learned a bit over the years about walking (and running) in heels. As a princess, I've found it's a necessity. Anyway, come on, I'll show you what I've been working on." Turning, she pushed open the door and entered with Mal at her heels.

Mal was familiar with the art room. She had been in here a million times before. She could thank Ben as much as she wanted for that. It had been _his_ idea after all that she sign up for Art class.

Audrey walked over and sat down on one of the tables, her art book still in her hands.

Mal stood in front of her, her arms folded over her chest.

Audrey eyed Maleficent's daughter before opening the book, revealing what she had been drawing.

Mal gasped, her jaw almost dropping to the floor in shock.

Audrey had hand drawn what looked liked a stain glass window image. Each individual colour was outlined in black to form the image of Maleficent.

"You created a stain glassed design of my mom?" Mal gasped in surprise.

Audrey nodded. "The reason I didn't want anyone to see my design is because I didn't want them to think I was crazy. Everybody hates your mom. No offense."

"None taken. I don't blame anyone for hating her after everything she's done." Mal pursed her lips. "I don't think anyone would think that you're crazy. I think Auradon deserves to have more Villain chic."

Audrey looked at her drawing before looking back at Mal in surprise. "You think my stained glass design in Villain chic?"

"Yeah. I mean, I've never seen on single Auadonian wear or mention the colour black before."

Audrey considered that. "Do funerals count?"

Mal laughed. "I suppose it would. After all, black is the colour of mourning."

Audrey made an attempt to smile. "I suppose you're right. I came up with the idea just before Ben dumped me for you. Oh and, I know you spelled him."

Mal blinked causing Audrey to smile. "Don't worry," the princess said kindly. "I don't hold it against you anymore. I know I hold a grudge but after the way I treated you, I realise now that there is more to you then what my parents and grandmother thought."

"They thought I was like my mother?"

" A lot of people did," Audrey said, sitting her book in her lap. "I was crushed when Ben dumped me but I kind of had it coming."

"You did?"

Audrey nodded. "I understand now that I wasn't the prefect girlfriend Ben wanted me to be. A girlfriend should listen to their boyfriend. I didn't listen to Ben and to be honest, you're better for him then I ever was."

This took Mal by surprise. "I am?"

"Yes. You make him smile and he looks at you in ways he never looked at me. At first, I envied that but if that love spell you put on him taught me anything it was that we weren't meant to be together. I know Belle doesn't like me all that much. Every time I was at the castle, I could… sense that something didn't quite feel right. I know Belle is too polite to say how she really feels about someone. She use to stare daggers at me behind my back."

Mal remembered Belle's reaction when Ben had announced they were dating. From what she had been told Saturday when she and her friends had been relaxing, Belle had passed out at the news her son was dating a VK. The events of Friday had shown Mal a few things. One was that she really didn't want to be evil and bear the name 'Maleficent' and two was her boyfriend's parents had come to accept her after she and her friends had saved Auradon (and Ben) from certain peril. Also, it had been proven that kings also needed saving.

"I know the feeling. Belle and Beast were a little stand-offish with me too."

"But you saved Ben from your mom." Audrey said.

"Yes, I did but Audrey," Mal went and perched beside her. "You know better then anyone not to underestimate a VK. Belle and Beast learned very quickly not judge a book by its cover, so to speak."

Audrey looked down at the ground for a moment before her gaze returned to the art book in her lap. "I feel something's missing."

Mal looked over and saw something she hadn't realised before. The picture was only a quarter finished. By the looks of it, Audrey had drawn it in pencil and then gone over it in watercolour pencil and a very fine tipped black pen to make the colour stand out more.

"I have to say," Mal said. "This is impressive. I have never seen anything so beautiful."

Audrey smiled. "Thank you."

Mal ignored her as she examined the picture. "I think the black outline has to be a bit thicker." She said. Audrey looked over. "You see how the outline is only just visible? If you do it darker, you'll be able see the image better and the colour will pop out more."

Audrey thought about it as she looked at her artwork. "I think you're right. I knew there was something off about it but I wasn't sure. I thought I would get advice from someone who has more an arts background."

The girls sat awkwardly for a moment before Mal spoke.

"Why did as you come to me for help? I thought you would have gone to the teacher."

"I was going to but I felt it would be better to go to someone who actually knows Maleficent and who better to go to then her own daughter?"

Mal considered it for a moment. "You're right. There is no one else that knows my mother like me."

"So what do you think so far?"

"You're doing an amazing job so far. Just take into consideration what I've said.

"I will and thanks."

Mal smiled and nodded.

* * *

" _Wow_. _Now that was unexpected."_

It was after lunch and Ben had volunteered to take Mal and Evie to English. Doug had gone to Music class early while Jay and Carlos had somehow gotten themselves sent to the infirmary. Jane and Lonnie had disappeared after Chivalry class to work on something to do with the yearbook.

"That is exactly what I said when Mal told me." Evie agreed.

"I can't believe she would actually come to me for advice about _anything."_ Mal said as she clutched Ben's hand tightly.

"Audrey's actually pretty nice if you ignore the princess-y attitude she has," Ben said. "She's not the greatest girlfriend material though."

Mal screwed up her face at that mention. "Yeah, I apologise… again for your break up with her."

"Don't worry it. It was pretty much over between her and I anyway. She never listened to me."

"So you weren't lying about the love spell wearing and your feelings for Mal not changing?" Evie asked. Doug had told her what Ben had apparently told him.

"Nope." Was Ben's answer.

Mal grinned and leaned into him. Once she was close enough, Ben leaned in to kiss her cheek. Normally, she would have gone bright red if someone else had been around, but it was just Evie. Doug did the same thing all the time so it was less awkward plus Evie wasn't about to judge.

"At least you're both getting along now. I think the weekend did you both a world of good." Ben said while Evie nodded in agreement.

Mal gave them a look that took them she not only loved them but that they were really starting to bug her.

"How did her artwork look like?" Evie asked curiously.

The question caught Mal by surprise. "It was amazing. It wasn't finished but it was incredible. Audrey has raw skill, I'll give you that. She drew by hand a stained glass image of my mother." She dug around in her pocket and pulled out her phone. She unlocked it and quickly found the photo she had taken of Audrey's artwork.

Evie and Ben crowded around Mal and gasped at the picture.

"I learn something everyday." Ben muttered.

"It's glorious. Talk about detailed." Evie agreed. "I can't wait to see it completed."

"Neither can I."

Suddenly, three simultaneous beeps sounded.

Mal looks down at her phone while Ben and Evie pull their phone from their bags.

"Are you guys seeing what I'm seeing?" Mal asked.

"Yes." Evie and Ben responded at once.

The trio had opened their Auragram photo apps and found that Audrey had posted a photo of her now half-finished artwork.

"Wow." Is all the trio can say.

"That…"

"…Is..."

"…AMAZING!"

The final bell rings causing the trio to jump.

"Let's get to class before we have to explain why we're late." Ben said.

Mal and Evie nod in agreement.

* * *

 _I hope you all enjoyed. This is a ONE-SHOT like previously stated and will NOT be updated._


End file.
